Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille Jambalaya
This is a recipe that I simply love, and I know you will too! There are certain criteria that a recipe must meet in order to become a favorite in my kitchen: is it forgivable and adaptable and is it easy to make or will it make me insane because I have to watch it every two seconds? This one is great because it is both forgivable and adaptable and easy to make. I tend to use leftover turkey instead of chicken, because let’s face it, leftover turkey can lurk in your freezer for a long time!! I’m not a hot spice lover but my husband is – so he adds the hot sauce on when the dish is served and I don’t and we’re all happy!! Finally, I’ve been known to grab out the sausage only to realize that it isn’t Andouille sausage, and the dish still tastes fine.
If you don’t know what Andouille sausage even is, don’t fret, I didn’t either until I started attempting recipes like this. We just aren’t that Cajun around here. According to Wikipedia, Andouille sausage is French in origin having been brought to the United States through Louisiana. It is a coarse-grained smoked sausage made using pork, pepper, onions, wine and seasoning. It is delicious and can range in flavor from “just a bit of a kick” to “whoa mama!” So, laissez les bon temps rouler!
Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille Jambalaya
Ingredients:
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken
1 lb andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp on cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice
1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped, with juice
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups stock
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
3 green onions, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a stock pot, begin cooking rice in the chicken broth. This will help ensure that the brown rice, which takes longer to cook than white but is much healthier, will cook up nice and soft when the dish is done. The rice won’t get a chance to cook fully as the next step will only take a little over 10 minutes, but like I said, it will give it a nice start and that is what we want.
3. In a large pan, brown chicken in hot oil on both sides; remove and drain. Add Andouille, onion, celery, bell pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes until onions are tender.
4. Add tomatoes with juice; bring to a boil.
5. Place mixture and rice in a baking dish or oven-proof casserole; mix in chicken; cover (can use foil) and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until rice and chicken are done and tender.
6. Stir in shrimp, parsley, and green onions; cover and cook 5-8 minutes longer or until shrimp curl and turn bright pink and serve.
Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya fresh from the oven. - Photo by Carrie E. Cox
If you have any questions about this recipe or if you have a recipe you think I should try out, please email me at carrie@mainstreetnewspapers.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
